


The Right Shrine

by cakessan



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 21:49:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cakessan/pseuds/cakessan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A spring date turns into more self-reflection than either of them anticipated...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Right Shrine

**Author's Note:**

> This is the only piece of writing which has proven un-editable. Every time I open the goddamned document I lose myself and I end up just lying on the ground making girly noises into my pillow.

Kagami checked his phone again.

 

_From: Ahomine_

            _ask tetsu. i dont know._

 

“Like I’d ask _you_ first,” Taiga growled, stuffing his phone back in his pocket. Aomine was the last person on his list. Literally. Kuroko, Momoi, Kasamatsu (his number stolen from Kise’s phone), and even Midorima had received desperate texts in an attempt to figure out where Kise was taking him for the day.

Kagami fiddled with the ring around his neck. It wasn’t that he minded going on a date planned by the now-vice-captain of Kaijou. He just wanted to know _here_. And if he needed… supplies. Like packed sandwiches. Or an extra sweater if they were going to come home late, because it was still spring and it got chilly once the sun went down. Or-

“Kagamiicchi!”

He jumped and turned around to find himself nose-to-nose with Kise.

“Good morning.” Ryouta’s sunshine smile got a little brighter before he placed a careful kiss on the tip of Kagami’s nose. By the time Taiga recovered enough to blink, Kise was already inside the train station, buying tickets.

“So – uhh –“ Kagami fidgeted behind the blonde, rubbing his nose absently, “- where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Kise stuffed the tickets into his pocket before Kagami could get a good look at them. “How did your practice match go?”

The redhead took a moment to distract himself from his distress by studying Ryouta. White jacket over a red t-shirt. Tan chinos. He was using his sunglasses to keep his hair pushed back. Kagami swallowed hard.

“Good. Their offence was really strong. Coach wanted to use them as training before the practice match with Touou.” The prospect of their impending matchup with Aomine – even for practice – distracted him just enough.

“Aominecchi’s been practicing.” Kagami scowled and pouted at the singsong taunt.

“So have I.” It came out a little more defensive than he intended.

“It’s going to be a good match.”

 “You don’t have to come,” Kagami muttered automatically. Aomine was going to tease the living hell out of him – and probably win too. His Sunday afternoon one-on-one’s with Touou’s ace had yet to earn him a single victory.

But Kise only gave him a long, blank look under which Taiga began to get flustered.

“I mean – you can come, but you don’t have to. It’s not like we’re never going to play again and you see up playing all the time anyways.”

“I’m coming, Kagamicchi.” Kagami heard the smile in the warm whisper against his cheek before Ryouta grabbed his arm. “Come on – otherwise we’ll miss the train!”

*

Kagami was unexpectedly attentive. Sometimes he later forgot the unimportant details, but he always made a point of actively listening when Kise talked. Not many people gave him that courtesy. No one cared what Kise Ryouta – basketball star, model and actor – had to say. Only that he smiled.

So when Kise finished with: “-and the doctor said that they’d have to amputate my leg” and received no reaction, he began to worry. Oh – he’d noticed Kagami tuning out sometime during his play-by-play of his disastrous attempt to make pancakes for his sister’s birthday. So he’d switched tracks – three times – without any results. It bothered him that Kagami was so nervous. The twitch of his leg, the way he sat crouched forward, the tense line of his mouth gave him away. Kise knew by now.

It was four months since the Sunday Kagami called him for a two-on-two with Aomine and Himuro to celebrate the end of finals. Himuro gave Aomine a ride home, so they ended up walking together, stopping at Kagami’s favorite burger place on the way to the train station. It was run by an elderly Australian couple – Kagami had found it when he got lost in Tokyo his first week back – and Kise got to spend an hour trying out his broken English on them. Kagami ended up laughing so hard he actually had to stop eating for a few minutes.

The one-on-one they set up a few days later ended with a movie at Kagami’s apartment. Kise fell asleep; Kagami called his family to let them know. A few days later, Kise and Himuro wanted to karaoke. Kuroko dragged Kagami along. Kise paid for his dinner. Kagami felt obliged – he invited the blonde over for a homemade meal.

So when Taiga planted a shy and _extremely_ unexpected kiss on his cheek before slamming the door shut in his face as he left the apartment after a one-on-one and some tutoring (Kagami could laugh all he wanted at his English; Kise wondered how he’d gotten past the third grade without assistance) three weeks later, Ryouta went home smiling like an idiot.

Since that Sunday afternoon when Kagami had shot him a painfully cute smile as he ordered burgers in his adorably accented English, Kise had been waiting. He didn’t want a trapped tiger: he wanted a tame one. Well. Semi-domesticated. He had no intention of taking away the recklessness and intensity that made up Kagami’s charm. He enjoyed them too much.

Kise smiled involuntarily, his golden eyes lighting up. God, Taiga was so _goddamned adorable_. Still, right now he was bothered, and Kise needed to do something about it.

 “What’s worrying you?”

Kagami glanced over at him in surprise before snorting and rolling his eyes. “Stop doing that, it’s creepy.”

Kise crossed his legs. “Are you embarrassed at being seen in public with me, Kagamiicchi?” He’d spent a very long time perfecting his pout – he knew how effective it was.

Kagami snorted. He looked like he was struggling to understand himself, trying to piece his thoughts. Finally, he let out a breath. “I’m not used to letting… to being looked after,” he mumble-growled. “And I… I like being seen with you. I mean, we’re… dating. And you’re beautiful. I mean-” He turned bright red as Kise dissolved into a puddle of squeals in his seat. It was literally impossible to make out the gravelly muttering that followed as Kagami hid himself behind his hands to hide his blush. But it didn’t matter. Kise leaned over and took his hand. The growling trailed off as Kagami twined his fingers through Kise’s. They sat in silence for the rest of the train ride. Kagami didn’t once let go of his hand.

*

As they walked away from Tanashi station and ducked into one of the shady streets, Kagami wondered why everything looked mildly familiar: the low mossy walls, the magnolia trees, the faint smell of incense. Maybe he’d been here before? Accidentally? No – it was something… else.

When Kagami finally looked back at Kise, the blonde was looking at him expectantly. He frowned in confusion. “Where are we?”

Kise turned away, sticking his hands in his pockets. “You never talk about it – but I wanted to know more about your life before you went to America. Kagamiichii was probably so cute when he was little.” Taiga winced in embarrassment. “So- so I asked Himuro.” Kise stopped as Kagami froze behind him. “I just wanted to know. He told me about your mother leaving, and how you lived with your grandmother because your dad travelled a lot. He said you always looked really happy when you talked about her. I-I’m really sorry. I just wanted to know.”

Kagami stared at Kise’s back. He was angry: angry with himself. Maybe also a little bit angry with Himuro for telling Kise – because it meant that he’d probably told Kise all the embarrassing things he’d done in America – but mostly just livid with himself. He didn’t talk about it because… he just didn’t. Whatever happened had happened – he couldn’t change it; he didn’t want to waste his time thinking about it. He accepted that they had shaped him but they didn’t define him. But he never meant to make Kise feel like it was something he wasn’t allowed to ask about.

“Oi.” He reached out and turned Kise around roughly. “Next time, ask me.” Kagami smiled a little as Kise dared look up and met his eyes. “I don’t like that you talk to Himuro so much.” And just to make a point of the fact that Kise was _his_ , Taiga yanked him forward and smirked against the cherry-flavored lips waiting for him. “But I like it even more when you’re not talking to me.”

“Taiga, _please_.” Kise laughed softly before roughly pulling him down.

A hard, chaste kiss was probably more appropriate, but Kagami didn’t really give a shit about appropriateness as Kise nipped on his bottom lip before kissing him into breathlessness. As he wiped at a corner of his mouth, noticing that he was pressed up against one of the cool walls, Kagami wondered how Kise managed to come out of these little sessions looking so unscathed. Practice, probably. The blonde was standing a step away, watching him intently. Taiga knew the look. It was _almost_ like the look he wore when he stepped onto the court – but not quite. No. This look was reserved for Kagami. Usually when they were alone. And after Kise got this look, bits of clothing started coming off.

Taiga felt his ears go warm. “We, uhm, we should go to, uh, wherever you’re taking me.”

“I’d really like to take you to bed.” Kise shot back with as smirk.

Kagami rolled his eyes before quickly turning away to hide his pleased grin. “So, where _are_ you taking me?”

“Tanashi Shrine.”

Taiga stared at him. “That’s where… Oba-san used to take me there.”

“Himuro said that you really liked the dragon shrine you went to together. I had to do a little research.” Kise rubbed the back of his neck and fell into step next to him. “I hope it’s the right one.”

As they stepped out of the street and into a sunny square, Kagami knew he had. He was so touched that Kise _cared_. He cared about the things that Kagami didn’t even know he had because he didn’t think they were worth caring about.

“I got the right one.” Kise was jumping up and down and dancing on the stairs, ignoring the people staring at him. “Take _that,_ Aominecchi!” He finished his celebratory routine by whipping off his sunglasses and beaming down at Kagami.

It made the sunshine seem a little colder by comparison.  
*

Kise enjoyed going to shrines. It reminded him that the gods had to put up with way more hassle than he ever did. He also liked the fact that it smelt nice and there was usually free food. Plus, no one ever recognized him.

He hummed happily as he joined Kagami at the exit. “Are you hungry?”

Kagami looked pleadingly at him. “Can we go eat properly? I like street food but I only had two pancakes this morning.”

Kise chuckled. Kagami’s eating habits entertained him to no end. And he looked so _happy_ when he was eating. “So, was it like you remembered?” Kise asked as they finished weaving through the crowd and made it to the main street.

“Yes. And no? It seems smaller.”

“I’m also sure that it’s only because you got bigger, Kagamiicchi.”

Taiga considered it. “Yeah. Probably. It’s still really nice. I think I remember one of the priests. He used to give me candy.” He paused. “Thanks.”

Ryouta contained his glee. “I’m glad I got to share it with you.” There were so many questions he still had…

“She passed away after we moved to America. I had exams, so dad came for the funeral alone. Alex came and looked after me. I cried.”  Kagami wrinkled his nose in embarrassment at the confession. “Ooooh-” He froze and turned back. “I think that was-”

“-a burger place.” Kise finished, taking his hand and dragging him back. Taiga had earned as many burgers as he wanted.

Half an hour (and a dozen burgers) later, they stepped out again. Kagami was wearing a look of deep satisfaction that was vaguely reminiscent of _another_ look of satisfaction that Kise was acquainted with. This was the perfect moment to deal with a small matter that he had been meaning to deal with -

“So, my sisters want to meet you.”

Kagami groaned weakly, but Kise was already staring to smile. He was going to win this one. His timing was perfect. “Why?”

“Because they care about me and they want to make sure you’re as cute as I told them.”

Taiga blushed. “I’m not cute,” he muttered. And here came the win - “Maybe next week?”

“That sounds _perfect_ ,” Kise purred. When he looked up, he realized that he had no idea where they were. Only that they were standing in front of an outdoor basketball court where two teams of middle-school boys were playing. Kise had a flash of five faces – laughing faces backed by the white and blue of the Teikou uniform. For some reason, his heart suddenly hurt.

“-yeah, like that! And if you stand with your legs a little wider apart, you get more speed when you jump.”

Kagami wasn’t standing next to him anymore. He was on the other side of the grille with all the younger boys gathered around him. The tallest one came up to his elbow. Kise bit back a laugh.

“Like this?” One of them tried it, making the basket to the cheering of his friends.

“Just like that.” Kagami ruffled his hair, grinning.

“Do you want to play, bro?”

“But we have even teams!”

“Oh yeah-”

“Plus it’s super unfair if only one team has a tall guy!”

“Yeah!”

“I have another tall guy.” Kagami waved to Kise, who sighed dramatically but came around and stepped onto the court anyways.

“Eeeehh- he doesn’t look like a basketball player.” The boy who Kagami helped earlier sniffed.

Taiga glared daggers at him. “Shut up.”

Kise wanted to kiss him. But it could wait. “It’s alright, Kagamiicchi. If I win, it won’t matter what shorty thinks.”

As the boys sorted teams and yelled around the court, Kagami crossed his arms. “If you think I’m letting you win, you’re wrong.”

“If you let me win, I wouldn’t talk to you again. Ever.” They shared a grin. If there was one thing that would never change it was how much they enjoyed the being on a court and playing as hard as they could for the sake of playing. The fact that they both had teams they loved playing with made it that much more rewarding.

“You girls coming?” A pint-sized boy called, grinning cheekily.

“Loser pays for the train home!” Kise called behind his shoulder as he jogged off to join his impromptu team.

*  
Kise’s team won. And Kagami had absolutely nothing to do with it. He’d played hard and their one-on-one moments had made all the boys step out of the way and cheer regardless of who scored. But Kise’s team had coordinated a little better. And Kise had used his little tricks to adjust to the movements of his teammates. Kagami had a different style, and today it hadn’t been good enough.

As the boys high fived them both before scampering off into the evening, Kagami couldn’t help smiling. They had stopped now and again to show them tricks or give them advice on how to shoot or defend. He thought of Himuro and himself when they found Alex and bullied her into teaching them.

“That was fun.” Kise sank onto the bench and leaned back with a smile, closing his eyes. “Maybe I’ll sign up to volunteer as a coach in elementary schools next year.”

“You wouldn’t last a week.” Kagami leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. It was a little salty.

“I wouldn’t last three days,” Kise replied laughing as he opened his eyes. Kagami took a moment to just look at him. He had tiny freckles on his nose from being out in the sun all day. His hair was mussed. His eyes were crinkled from his lazy smile.

“Would you like to take a picture, Kagamiicchi?”

Taiga wanted to, but he decided against it. “Maybe later. There’ll be more of you to take a picture of.” It was hard to keep the excitement from his voice. How the hell was Ryouta always so casual when he said stupid stuff like that?

*

Kise had heard the buzz of his phone but he had been a little too busy to answer. Busy because he was being pushed against the door to Kagami’s apartment and having his ass grabbed while he kissed his boyfriend senseless. After that he was too distracted to remember – Kagami was rather talented with his hands. After which he decided that he very much wanted to see Taiga’s face while he fucked him.

That had been a good decision. Kise smiled sleepily as he wandered out of the bedroom in Kagami’s boxers and poured himself a glass of water before remembering his phone.

 

_From: Kurokocchi_

_Was it the right one?_

 

Kise ran through the day in his mind. It became a little difficult to focus once Kagami’s arm wrapped around his middle and Taiga started nuzzling his neck. Ryouta knew that he wasn’t wearing anything. He tilted his head back and received a long, soft kiss.

“Who is it?” Kagami asked, resting his chin on Kise’s shoulder.

“Tetsuya. He wanted to know if we ended up at the right shrine.”

To Kise, it didn’t really matter. Even if he’d screwed up and got the wrong shrine, he’d have gotten to spend the day with Kagami. So really, any shrine would have been the right shrine. He wondered if there were any shrines to tigers. They could visit one of those next time. Kise turned off his phone and tossed it onto the kitchen counter. “Did we?”

Kagami’s laugh tickled his neck. “Let me remind you how right it was.”  

 

 


End file.
